The New Stuff

Uncategorized

Oct10

The UFL Makes Their Inaugural Debut at Sam Boyd Stadium Las Vegas

In a town where glitz and glamour is its bread and butter, the United Football League made its inaugural debut with quite the fanfare at Las Vegas’ own Sam Boyd Stadium. America’s newest football league promises to provide professional, high-quality football at affordable prices to underserved markets.

Las Vegas Locomotives take on the California Redwoods at Sam Boyd Stadium

The Las Vegas Locomotives, under the direction of Head Coach, Jim Fassel, took on former Minnesota Vikings’ coach Dennis Green and his California Redwoods. The newest football league that is reminiscent of the now defunct XFL, drew a stadium crowd of 14,209 fans. The league, which is also broadcast on Versus, is the only other professional outdoor American football league outside of the NFL.
The UFL, composed of only four teams, will play regular season games on Thursday and Friday nights, with its Championship game scheduled for November 27.

The UFL, what some had anticipated as a watered down version of the NFL, looks to meet and exceed its promises to the general public with player rosters that boasts a few names not unfamiliar to its more popular counterpart.

Leading the Las Vegas Locomotives, or “Locos,” for short, was Quarterback JP Losman, formerly of the Buffalo Bills. Losman and the Locomotives were unable to sync together against the Redwood Defense and were down in the first half of the game, 14-10. The California Redwoods, led by former Houston Texan Shane Boyd had a strong rushing offense in the first two quarters, but lost their momentum in the second half of the game to lose to the Locos 30-17.

The rules of the game are similar to those of the NFL with a few minor tweaks. Interestingly enough, intentional grounding is allowed while a quarterback is under duress, but that didn’t stop the sacks from coming by no means. In an even further attempt to boost entertainment value, The UFL promises to please the crowd by utilizing interesting on-field camera angles and sideline commentary. Add in some adrenaline pumping hip-hop intermittently blasted throughout the stadium, a tremendous amount of teal and silver and red-wearing referees and voila!

At the end of the day though, a football game is a football game and the UFL does provide that, and more. With heart wrenching stories of hope embedded into each team roster, the NFL may have a new place to seek out talent.

And with players like Las Vegas Locomotives kicker Graham Gano and his amazing fourth quarter 53-yard field goal, the UFL is clearly off to an interesting start.